tariffs
Concerns grow over Trump’s trade, rural infrastructure plans
A growing number of farmers and rural advocates say President Trump's trade and rural infrastructure proposals would further damage the struggling farm economy, despite his vow to boost rural America through renewed investment.
Perdue sees ‘legitimate concern’ in farm country over trade issues
The farm sector is “rightfully concerned” that President Trump’s plan for steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum could trigger retaliatory tariffs on U.S. ag exports, said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Exports account for 20 percent of U.S. farm income.
Wheat, soy groups fear retaliation for U.S. steel and aluminum duties
Groups representing U.S. wheat and soybean growers said the steel and aluminum tariffs announced by President Trump might lead to retaliatory steps by China, the No. 1 buyer of American farm exports.
New York dairy farms ‘swimming in milk,’ Perdue is told
The two top officers of the New York Farm Bureau told Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue that trade and immigration are the top ag issues in the Empire State, reports the Glens Falls Post-Star. "We are swimming in milk," said vice president Eric Ooms, placing the blame on Canadian barricades to U.S. dairy.
U.S. says new NAFTA must end Canadian protection of dairy, poultry, eggs
At the top of the Trump administration's list of agricultural goals for the new NAFTA is elimination of Canadian tariffs on imports of U.S. dairy, poultry, and egg products — meaning a dismantling of the nation's supply-management system. Canada balked at that demand in the previous round of negotiation, and the current round of talks in Mexico City made little progress over the weekend.
U.S. asks Canada for more access to dairy, poultry and egg markets in NAFTA talks
Canadian officials say prospects of agreement on a new NAFTA by the end of the year are fading in the face of unacceptable U.S. demands, reports Canadian Press, with some analysts questioning if the true U.S. goal is a breakdown in negotiations. The chief U.S. negotiator told Bloomberg, "We made a request of Canada for improved access for dairy, poultry and eggs" over the weekend, the first time agricultural trade was discussed at the talks.
U.S. ranchers sue to bring back country-of-origin labeling of beef and pork
In late 2015, looking to avoid a threatened $1 billion in retaliatory tariffs, Congress repealed a requirement that packages of beef and pork sold in the United States say where the animals were born, raised, and slaughtered. Now an activist ranchers’ group has filed suit to reinstate the labels.
Perdue meets dairy farmers to discuss options on Canada milk trade
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who applauded tariffs on Canadian timber as U.S. payback in a milk-trade dispute with its northern neighbor, discussed possible solutions with dairy leaders during a session at USDA headquarters. President Trump has twice raised the issue of U.S. ultra-filtered milk exports to the highest level of binational attention, at one point saying "we don't want to be taken advantage of by other countries — and that's stopping and stopping fast."
California growers must now compete with Argentinian lemons
American citrus growers are angry over the Trump administration’s decision to lift an import ban on lemons from northwestern Argentina. “We were completely blindsided,” said Joel Nelsen, president of the California Citrus Mutual.
Farm groups urge Trump to preserve NAFTA
The Trump administration is mulling a draft executive order to pull the U.S. out of NAFTA, says a senior White House official, according to Reuters. NAFTA renegotiations were expected to start in August, but a withdrawal by the U.S. could rush the timeline.
Mexico beats U.S. at WTO over ‘dolphin-safe’ tuna case
The World Trade Organization sided with Mexico over the U.S. in a long-running dispute over labeling on Mexican tuna imported into America. The regulatory body gave Mexico the green light to seek $163 million each year that the U.S. bans it from using the term “dolphin-safe” on its tuna-can labels.
Will Trump’s America First policy make COOL great again?
Under the threat of $1 billion in retaliatory tariffs by Canada and Mexico, Congress repealed a law 16 months ago that required packages of beef and and pork to say where the animals were born, raised and slaughtered. Activist agricultural groups say a revival of the labels would be a complement to President Trump's America First policy and his complaint of unfair practices by U.S. neighbors.
Brazil needs independent control of meat safety, says EU official
Ending a visit prompted by a meat-inspection scandal, the EU food safety commissioner said Brazil's meat inspection system "must be independent and not under the influence of politicians and other actors," reported Reuters. EU commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis told the wire service that EU restrictions and stepped-up checks of meat from Brazil may not be removed in the near term.
USDA says it will double-check imports of Brazilian beef
With the safety of Brazilian beef in question in a meat-inspection scandal, the USDA said it will re-inspect and test fall shipments of beef from the South American country for pathogens. The USDA said none of the 21 facilities targeted by Brazilian police have shipped meat to the United States.
Hog and turkey farmers say they could suffer if NAFTA renegotiation blows up
After withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, President Trump's top trade objective is renegotiation of the 23-year-old U.S.-Canada-Mexico agreement known as NAFTA. Farm groups speaking for U.S. hog and turkey farmers told a House Agriculture subcommittee that their industries could suffer greatly if exports are disrupted.
Dairy industry says new Canadian rules will block U.S. exports
Dairy companies wrote to governors of 25 states to ask their help in heading off a change in Canadian dairy policy, due to take effect on Wednesday, that they say will further discourage shipments of ultra-filtered milk and other dairy products to Canada. The dairies say the new National Ingredients Policy violates trade agreements.
U.S. files second WTO complaint against China grain aid
U.S. farmers lost as much as $3.5 billion in corn, wheat and rice sales to China last year because the world's most populous nation used its tariff system to unfairly limit imports, the Obama administration said in a complaint to the World Trade Organization. Separately, the U.S. asked WTO to appoint a dispute panel to investigate its complaint of excessive Chinese subsidies of corn, wheat and rice.
Obama: ‘The longer we wait, the harder it will be to pass the TPP’
China is trying to outmaneuver the United States in the Asian market, President Obama said, in pressing for approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.